Taneil
Of undetermined origin and meaning, potentially an invented name.
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the first name Taneil. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Taneil today is around 35 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taneil births was 1976 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taneil. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
127
~ 1 in 2,698,853 Americans
Peak year
1976
14 babies that year
Average age
35
years old
2014 SSA rank
#18,955
Tracked since 1976
Popularity
Taneil: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taneil from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 44 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taneil by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Taneil during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Taneils live
Origin
Meaning and history of Taneil
The name Taneil is believed to have its origins in ancient Gaelic cultures, with roots dating back to the early medieval period in parts of what is now Ireland and Scotland. The name is thought to be a variation or derivative of the Gaelic name Tanaill, which itself is derived from the Old Irish word "tana," meaning "thin" or "slender."
In its earliest forms, the name Taneil was likely used to describe someone of a slender or lithe build. As naming conventions evolved, it transitioned from a descriptive term to a proper given name in its own right. While the name's exact linguistic journey is unclear, it appears to have maintained its connection to the Gaelic tongues throughout the centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Taneil can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it is mentioned in reference to a minor noble from the 12th century. However, the name's historical significance extends beyond this singular mention.
Taneil Mac Cuillennáin, a renowned Irish poet and scholar, lived in the late 9th century and is celebrated for his contributions to the preservation of ancient Gaelic literature and language. His works have been studied and referenced by scholars for centuries.
Another notable figure was Taneil Ó Briain, a 13th-century Irish chieftain and military leader who played a pivotal role in the resistance against Norman invaders in the province of Munster. His exploits are documented in various historical accounts and have become the stuff of legend.
In the realm of religion, Taneil Ó Máille was a 16th-century Irish Franciscan friar and scholar who wrote extensively on theology and philosophy. His works were influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of his time.
Moving to more recent history, Taneil O'Donnell was an Irish poet and playwright of the late 19th century, known for his evocative portrayals of rural life and the struggles of the working class. His plays were widely acclaimed and performed throughout Ireland and beyond.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Taneil throughout history, each leaving their mark in their respective fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural heritage associated with this name.
People
Taneil + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taneil as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Taneil: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taneil?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 127 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taneil going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,698,853 US residents.
Is Taneil a common name?
We classify Taneil as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 133 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taneil most popular?
The single biggest year for Taneil was 1976, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taneil is about 35 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Taneil a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taneil in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.